You used to need their software to buy any books. They changed that earlier this year and you can buy on the website and download with ADE if you want to instead. No Sony software required.

I see you are in the US.
I don't know about Sony US but I just tried Sony UK again and when you click on "Want this eBook?" you still get a message telling you you must use Reader Library Software.....

There the buying process seems to dead end and I can't see any other way of buying a book ?

I have noticed recently however, I used to get a windows message telling me the website wants me to download some software, but now I don't get that message ?

I see you are in the US.
I don't know about Sony US but I just tried Sony UK again and when you click on "Want this eBook?" you still get a message telling you you must use Reader Library Software.....

There the buying process seems to dead end and I can't see any other way of buying a book ?

I have noticed recently however, I used to get a windows message telling me the website wants me to download some software, but now I don't get that message ?

My bad. I thought the UK store had been changed at the same time as the US store. I see it hasn't, sorry.

However I don't like what I regard as arrogance on the part of Sony in forcing me to change to their software when I have installed on my PC, dare I say it, the established DRM software already !

What if other stores decided to go the same path as Sony ?

There are too many companies already trying to ring-fence their customers in, that's one reason why I didn't get a Kindle.

mXb you seem to be getting your knickers in a knot over this ....

I use the Sony Reader for PC as my Epub repository for all Epubs, as I've indicated. As soon as they download into that I then import the book into Calibre which is my library.

So - Reader for PC just acts as a holding place, with the advantage being that all the original copies are there and in one place.

The advantage is that I don't have to look in various programs to find ebooks that I've purchased from various providers.

Also, whilst I have Kobo desktop installed, I never use it. I only download Epubs from Kobo. All my Kobo Epubs I download into Sony Reader for PC, and then Calibre.

The reason I do that is because I don't use the Kepub version of Kobo ebooks - I only use the Calibre cleaned version. Again the reason is because of choice - I choose which of my 3 readers, Sony, Kobo or Playbook - I want to read that particular title on.

A problem with using the ADE desktop is that I've had problems with it recognising my authorisation on numerous occasions and have been blocked from access to my paid for ebooks until their end sorted it out. I don't know about you but I've had problems most times they upgrade their ADE desktop software.

So, I'm not interested in ADE.

Sony Reader for PC works for me. I don't buy Sony books as often as I buy Kobo or Books on Board - because they're the sellers with the excellent promo codes - but all their ebooks are in my Sony library and in Calibre (cleaned).

I also have Kindle for PC and as soon as an ebook has downloaded into that I again import into Calibre.

So, the 2 download and 'holding' repositories I use are Sony and Kindle - and Calibre is my library.

I think you need to rethink whether Sony is using me or I'm using Sony - because I see it as I'm using Sony's software to suit my purpose.